Improvement in gun-rests



KQ'M'ULLBR Gun-Rest.

No. 203,184. Patented April 30, I878.

WITNESSES-.7 I IINVENTOR ILPETERS. PHOTO-\JTHOGRAPHER. WASNKNGTON. D C

UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL MULLER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN-RESTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent llo. 203,184, dated April30, 1878 application filed February 6, 1878.

Instruction in Aiming Fire-Arms, of which the following is aspecification:

My invention is specially designed for the instruction of recruits formilitary service, these persons being, as a rule, unaccustomed to theproper handling or accurate aiming of fire-arms, but is also equallyapplicable in the education of those in civil life who are, either frominterest or inclination, desirous of prop- J erly acquainting themselveswith such manipulation. V I I A p The object of my invention is toprovide means for enabling the instructor to accurately observe whileconvenientlydirecting the movements of the pupil, so that the relativepositions and duties of instructor and pupil may be such as to affordfacilities for mutual attention without entailing therefor, on the partof the pupil, undue distraction from the management of his piece, or, onthe part of the instructor, any impediment to a full observation andready direction of the actions of the pupil.

To this end my improvements consist in a fixed rest for the support, inopposite directions, of the fire-arms of the instructor and pupil, sothat the movements of each shall be clearly visible to the other, whilerelieving both from the fatigue of the weight of the arms duringinstruction.

The use of the rest constitutes a part of a complete system ofinstruction in aiming firearms, which system is perfected by theemployment of a target of peculiar construction, which, though hereinshown and described for the better understanding of thefunctions of myimproved rest, forms no part of my present invention, but may constitutethe subject-matter of a separate application.

The said auxiliary to my invention consists in a target having aperforated bullseye or center, to enable the instructor to observe anddirect the movements of the pupil while taking aim, said target beingeither fixed or mov; able on a fixed bed relatively to the position ofthe pupil or pupils, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view In perspective, showingmy invention and the mode of its application. Figs. 2 and 3 are views inperspective, showing, respectively, a fixed and a mode of use.

As instruction to recruits in handling firearms ormaking ready to fireis ordinarily practicedfthe instructing officer occupies a positionrelative to the recruit or squad which precludes him, while givingverbal directions movable target and their and illustrating them byproper movements,

from observing and correcting the movements of the recruit, while bothofficer and recruit are subjected to the fatigue of the weight of thepiece during the lesson, and in directing the aiming of the recruit theofficer has no facility for observing, with any degree of accuracy, thecorrectness of the aim, or of properly ascertaining and indicating therequisite changes of alignment of the piece.

To obviate these objections, and thereby to correspondingly expedite andfacilitate instruction, I provide a fixed rest, A, of wood or metal,consisting of a horizontal traverse or cross-piece, the height of whichabove the ground is equal to the average distancefrom the ground of thelower side of the barrel of a fire-arm when held in position for takingaim, and which is supported by legs or posts a. The rest is providedwith two or more recesses to receive the barrels of the muskets or otherfire-arms of the instructing officer and the recruit, who, in the use ofthe rest, station themselves on each side thereof, facing and each onthe left side of the other, with their pieces resting, toward the muzzleends, upon the top of the rest or in the recesses thereof.

By the use of this device the instructive and imitative motions on thepart ofthe officer and recruit respectively are made so as to be clearlyvisible on the part of the recruit and the officer each to the other,and the efficiency Q of the movements of instruction of the officer isnot impaired by'the necessity of a change of position for purposes ofobservation. Gorrespondingly, the relative position of the recruit issuch as to enable him to observe and imitate the movements of hisinstructor without undue distraction from the regulation of his own toconform thereto; and, as both instructor and recruit are relieved fromthe fa-' tigue of the weight of their pieces, more perfect attention andfreer assumption and maintenance of position result. v

Condemned or otherwise useless fire-arms, or dummies made specially forthe purpose, may be used in connection with the rest A with equaladvantage as if serviceable pieces were employed.

After the, recruit has been by the use of the rest sufficientlyinstructed in the proper maneye I), the aim which the recruit takesthereat,

being enabled from his position to. accurately observe any deficienciesin the position and movements of the recruit and in his alignment of hispiece, and more effectually to instruct and direct him in properlycorrecting them. The rest A may, in this instance, be used by therecruit in aiming, or maybe dispensed with, according to his relativedegree of proficiency, and 1 consider it important that the fire-armsemployed in connection with the target B should have some operativemember of their firing mechanism removed, or be otherwise rendered, forthe time being, incapable of bein g fired, to effectually guard againstaccident to the instructing officer.

For ordinary use the stand of the target B rests directly upon theground, or is fixed to a stationary base or platform thereon; but foramore advanced degree of instruction, as for that of skirmishers orsharpshooters, I mount the base b of the target so that it may betraversed at pleasure, by the assistance of an attendant, over astationary curved track, in order to be moved at pleasure into differentpositions, and relatively, as desired, to recruits ;stationed indifierent positions on a field or drill-ground.

In Fig. 3 the base or platform I) of the target B is shown as carrying avertical shaft, b on which is secured a pinion, b meshing into a curvedrack, b", on a stationary curved track,

If, the shaft 1) being rotated, at the command of the ofiicer, by anattendant standing behind him on the platform.

The use of my improved rest as an aid in military drill will be found togreatly expedite and perfect the work of instruction in aimingfire-arms, and to enable recruits to become ex- 1 pert marksmen withless training than has heretofore been bestowed upon such persons inconducting this branch of military instruction.

I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent- I A restfor the purpose specified, consisting of a horizontal traverse orcross-piece supported by legs or frame-Work at a height equal to theaverage distance from the ground of the piece when aimed, and providedwith two or more depressions to receive the barrels of the pieces of theinstructor and recruit or recruits, substantially as shown anddescribed.

KARL MULLER.

Witnesses J. Snowman BELL, GEo. A. VAILLANT

